Michael Lowry (Tipperary North, Independent)
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Question 255: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs further to Parliamentary Question No. 205 of 17 May 2005 if he will investigate the circumstances surrounding the refusal of an allowance to a person (details supplied) in County Dublin; and the action which will be taken by the agency administering the scheme on his behalf. [17341/05]

Michael Lowry (Tipperary North, Independent)
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Question 256: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs further to Parliamentary Question No. 205 of 17 May 2005 if he will expedite the appeal for a person (details supplied). [17342/05]

Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 255 and 256 together.

As I stated in my reply to Parliamentary Question No. 205 of 17 May 2005, the person concerned was refused rent supplement by the Health Service Executive based on its conclusions about the particular circumstances of her case. She has appealed against this decision. The executive has advised that a file is being prepared for consideration by an appeals officer who will make an determination on her eligibility as soon as possible. If the person concerned is dissatisfied with the outcome of this appeal, she can ask that her case be referred to the social welfare appeals office for further adjudication.

Neither I nor my Department has a statutory or executive function in decisions or appeals in individual cases. However, my Department monitors the overall implementation of the scheme in relation to general consistency of case decisions and conformity to scheme policy. In this regard, I have asked my Department to note the outcome of the appeal on this case and to assess whether the issue involved indicates any need for further policy consideration relating to rent supplement eligibility.